As we talk about access to energy, prioritizing it as one of the central ways of achieving the country’s development goals and the Sustainable Development Goals more broadly, we should never forget women. Energy and women are two inseparable aspects. If we go down to household level, energy access concerns women more than it does with men.
There are different gender-defined roles in energy production, distribution and use in households, communities and the market. In particular, women face a range of gender-specific problems in relation to their roles in production and utilization of energy services These are due to a number of factors including: Differing energy needs linked to gender roles (e.g. Cooking, cleaning, food drying, preparation and income generation). Traditionally, women bear the main burden of firewood collection. In the absence of modern energy sources and services, they are burdened with spending most of their time collecting firewood instead of using it for other income generation activities. Besides that, they often travel long distances and endure physical drainage
The inextricable linkage between gender and poverty cannot be emphasized enough. We are losing out on maximum capitalization of women’s productive labor as well as on the capability of empowering girls with education for their future. Aside that, smoke from firewood is unhealthy for women and children as well.
According to WHO and UNDP 2009, two million deaths worldwide are a result of indoor air pollution from fuels like coal, wood, charcoal and dung. 85% of the deaths are in women and children, dying from diseases like cancer and acute respiratory infections. Such statistics must force us to take immediate action. We can prevent these preventable deaths that result from us not acting towards the availability of clean energy sources and services for our women.
Lastly, we need to acknowledge the difficult terrain and places women have to walk in order to obtain household energy. Most of such areas are bushy and far from settlements. This does not assure women of their security and makes them vulnerable to unfortunate occurrences like rape. Such instances rob them of their dignity. ENERGIA (2009) notes that “Violence against women can also occur during daylight hours in situations where resources are scarce and women are obliged to collect fuel from remote and isolated areas.”
Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to acknowledge and highlight the link between access to clean, affordable, sustainable energy and gender. Gender blind energy policies tend to influence women’s vital local knowledge and their influencing capacity within households and communities. Development is not possible without access to energy and energy is vital for women’s development in terms of reducing their time burden for collecting firewood used in cooking and heating, supporting livelihoods activities, improving health and wellbeing, providing opportunities for enterprise and capacity-building. Therefore, investing in women’s empowerment sets a direct path towards gender equality, poverty eradication and inclusive economic growth since women are the main users of household energy. More policies need to shed a light on the instrumental part they play in the informal sector.
This is why the formulation of new policies surrounding energy access has to start from the household level. Empowering women and girls is necessary for energy development and energy security. Gender perspectives need to be incorporated into energy projects, policy and planning in order to ensure their effectiveness and sustainability. Policies need to be carefully designed in ways that benefit both women and men. Women are recognizably more prone to the burden of energy poverty and should therefore be equipped to be agents of change rather than mere observers.